About the project
In line with our Ease mission pathway, UpskillME is a capacity-building and apprenticeship program targeting 21 – 35-year-olds in low-income and underserved communities to increase employability and civic engagement. The core objective of this initiative is to convert intakes to income earners.
The first stage of the program is a 5-week capacity building course delivered in three core areas: current business insight, leadership capacity, and civic responsibility sensitization
The second stage of the program places intakes in apprenticeships with mentors providing practical training and hands-on experience in their various industries of interest.
Project Objectives
- To empower marginalised young Nigerians with relevant skills necessary to enable them to compete with their privileged counterparts.
- To provide vocational training to unskilled and semi-skilled youths.
- To support marginalised young Nigerians to fund and create a business model around their skill set.
- To provide education on the rights and responsibilities of citizens in a constitutional democracy to breed community leaders who are keyed into and passionate about nation-building.
- To secure employment for young marginalised Nigerians.
- To activate disadvantaged youths for community engagement and service in order to lead their communities to be more conscious of issues in Nigeria and their individual role in corrective measures.
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Project Outcomes
- Upskill – by expanding the capabilities of beneficiaries and equipping them with employability and vocational skills.
- Leadership capacity building – by building leadership capacity for self-actualization, self-development and community engagement.
- Sensitization – by educating beneficiaries on their constitutional rights and privileges as well as obligations to other citizens, the community and the nation in general. Voters’ education will also be taught to enable them to effectively take part in the electoral process.
Target Beneficiaries:
- Educated – University education, Undergraduates, Secondary school leavers, and those who are intending to further their studies. This group has a good grasp of the English language therefore, lectures will be delivered in English language.
- Uneducated – Primary School education, tradesmen (unskilled, semi-skilled, and skilled). This group has a minimal grasp of English. Lectures will be delivered in Yoruba and Pidgin English as appropriate.
Impact stories
What's Next?
Having completed the first phase of UpskillME cohort 1 in Bariga, Lagos, we are looking to place intakes in apprenticeships in different vocational fields. We are also preparing to host the second cohort of UpskillME at Mafoluku area of Oshodi, Lagos.
FAQs
A month before the capacity building course, we carry out a community engagement/needs assessment of the youths in our selected locale and invite them to the program. We have a limited number of spaces so we ensure only youths who are most in need are invited to the program.
The day starts early after-noon on Saturdays and lasts for 5 hours. We endeavour to cover 2 topics each day. We also provide our intakes with lunch.
We cover :
- Current business insights
- Leadership capacity
- Civic responsibility
On the last day of the course, the intakes compete in a social impact business competition to win a small cash prize of N20,000 ($38)
We also invite a speaker on the last day of the course, to tie the modules together and inspire the intakes.
How to support
If you are a business owner in Tailoring, Hairdressing, MakeUp Artistry, Automobile Engineering, and IT with the capacity to take on apprentices, please contact us .